Author: Toneyan Mark

THE INTERNATIONAL WUSHU TOURNAMENT IN YEREVAN

A1+
[03:52 pm] 18 April, 2006

The international traditional wushu tournament devoted to “Old
Shengavit” will be held in “Dinamo” sports ground on April 21 – 22. The
tournament is held for the 3rd time. About 100 representatives from
Georgia, Nagorno – Karabakh, Kazakhstan and Armenia will participate
in the 2006 tournament. Armenia will have the most participants – 64
sportsmen. 16 wushuists will arrive from Georgia, 12 – from Kazakhstan
and 8 – from Artsakh. Whushuists of different ages are to participate
in the meetings starting from the age 12 to adults.

Last year the representatives from Russia and Turkmenistan also
participated in the tournament but this year they don’t participate
because of the lack of financial support.

By the way, the 6th wushu championship will be held in “Dinamo” sports
ground on May 12 – 14, and about 250 Armenian strongest whushuists
will participate in various weight categories.

NGO FORUM TO DISCUSS GARABAGH

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 18 2006

Baku, April 17, AssA-Irada
The National NGO Forum, an umbrella organization for over 400
non-governmental organizations, will hold a regular congress on
April 26, members of the Congress Organizing Committee told a news
conference on Monday.

The forum was set up by 95 NGOs in 1999. A member of the organizing
committee, Farasat Gurbanov, said the congress would be attended by
over 200 organizations. President of the NGO Forum Azay Guliyev and
others are expected to make presentations at the event. According
to Gurbanov, three people have already been nominated to take over
presidency from Guliyev at the congress.

The chairman of the Board of the Forum, Aydin Karimov, said the meeting
would also discuss prospects for resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh problem. He said the congress would adopt
an appeal to international organizations over the Garabagh issue.

The Forum has established a commission to deal with the conflict. The
chairman of the commission, Nasimi Garabagli, has said discussions
would also be held around Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov who has
recently been sentenced to life in prison by a Hungarian court. A
statement will be adopted demanding that the officer’s rights be
protected.

PRO-ARMENIAN CHARLES AZNAVOUR IN YEREVAN

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 18 2006

Armenian film star Charles Aznavour visits Armenia.

“I am proud to say that I am a French of Armenian origin. I am French
by education but Armenian by the rest,” famous singer Charles Aznavour
said in Yerevan.

Mr. Aznavour said he learns more and more Armenian words during each
visit to Armenia.

“Maybe I will be able to speak good Armenian soon. I wish the French
language were the second in Armenia. But people practice Russian here,
so French may be the third,” Aznavour said. The great singer remarked
that the French Embassy in Armenia is a dream that came true. For his
part, French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny said he has listened
to Aznavour’s songs since youth. “Aznavour’s songs are dear for me,
but I especially like La Boheme,” he said.

Aznavour is a political activist and makes lobby for Armenia in
France. He is known as one of the leading anti-Turkey figures in
Western Europe.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR ON TWO-DAY VISIT TO SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHK

Panorama.am
12:49 17/04/06

On April 15 RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Georgia
Hrach Silvanyan and the leader of Armenian Apostolic Church’s Georgian
diocese Patriarch Vazgen Mirzakhanyan have begun their two-day visit
to Samtskhe-Javakhk.

As “A-Info” informs from Akhalkalak the first meeting of the Ambassador
and His Holiness was held in Akhalkalak where first an Easter mess
was served in St. Grigor the Illuminator church after which the
latter met with the representatives of Armenian public organization
in Akhalkalak. During the meeting the Ambassador mentioned that the
visit has a cognitive character.

The Armenian Ambassador also had a meeting with Akhalstkha mayor
Tamaz Petriashvili. During the second half of the day the delegation,
arrived from Tbilisi, left for Ninotsminda and Akhalkalak where
analogical meetings had been scheduled.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of Toronto
45 Hallcrown Place
Willowdale, Ontario
M2J 4Y4
Contact: Lori Avakian
Email: [email protected]

91st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide – Commemorative Events

This year marks the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a year
in which important strides have been made to further international
recognition of the Genocide. The Armenian National Committee of Toronto
(ANCT) is determined to make 2006 stand out as one of action. ANCT’s
focus this year is on Genocide education, as well as your role and
responsibility to raise awareness and recognition in today’s society.

The ANCT is hosting the Genocide commemoration on April 23rd 2006
and supporting the events listed below, which we urge you to attend
and publicize enthusiastically within your circle of friends and
colleagues, in order for the Armenian Cause to extend beyond the
confines of the Armenian community.

We would appreciate it if you could make a concerted effort to
be present.

Date: Friday, April 21st, 2006
Time: 5:30 pm.
Location: Hart House, Debates room auditorium, downtown UofT.
Event: “Armenian Orphan Survivors: The Georgetown Boys” – A documented
history of survival and resettlement underlying the emergence of
Diaspora in Canada. Lecture to be given by Lorne Shirinian, a professor
at the Royal Military College in Kingston. Event hosted by University
of Toronto’s Armenian Student Association.

Date: Friday, April 21st, 2006
Time: 8:00 pm.
Location: Queens Park, In front of Ontario Legislature Buildings.
Event: Candlelight Vigil, Organized by UofT, York and Ryerson ASAs,
ARF Youth Organization of Canada and ACYOC.

Date: Sunday April 23rd, 2006
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Armenian Community Centre, 45 Hallcrown Place. (Victoria
Park and Hwy 401)
Event: Commemoration of the 91st Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. There will be a Tribute to the Genocide Victims at 4:30
with the official commemoration at 5:00. Organized by the ANCT and
the ARF YOC.

Date: Monday, April 24th, 2006.
Time: 12:00 noon
Location: Turkish Embassy – 197 Wurtemburg Street, Ottawa
Event: Rally in Ottawa in front of the Turkish Embassy. Departure
at 6:30am from the Armenian Community Centre, 45 Hallcrown Place,
Willowdale, Ont.

____________________________________________ ________________________________

The ANCT is part of the largest and the most influential
Canadian-Armenian grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world,
the ANCT actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian
community on a broad range of issues.

To be on the mailing list and receive the latest news and upcoming
events, go to and on the bottom right corner of the
page submit your email.

You may contact the ANCT at [email protected].

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH JOIN FORCES TO SERVE PEOPLE IN NEED

ArmRadio.am
17.04.2006 17:36

Habitat for Humanity and the Armenia Apostolic Church today
announce a partnership aimed to combat poverty housing in Armenia
and worldwide. The partnership highlights the common goals shared
between Habitat for Humanity and the Armenian Church.

“Habitat for Humanity and the Armenian Apostolic Church share a
commitment to help those in need, to advocate for the poor and to
transform dehumanizing conditions that perpetuate poverty,” said
Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity
International. “This new partnership is a blessing that will allow
us to serve more families in need both in Armenia and worldwide.”

The agreement will be signed by Jonathan Reckford, chief executive
officer of Habitat for Humanity International, His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Armenian Apostolic
Church. This will become an annual event to be held in the name of
His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of the Armenian Church Patriarch
of the Armenian Church and implemented by Habitat for Humanity Armenia.

“Zerkalo”: US Department of Justice Officially Registered “Representation of
Nagorno-Garabagh Republic to Washington”

F. Teymurkhanli
_www.zerkalo.az_ ()
15.04.2006

Azerbaijan meets with next failure in ideological war

The fact that the Armenian are ongoing to prevail over the
Azerbaijanis in ideological war does not require any proofs. The best
confirmation is the Nagorno-Garabagh conflict the truth about which
Azerbaijanis cannot bring to the notice of international community.

Approximately 20% Azerbaijani territories is under occupation, about 1
million refugees and internally displaced persons in the country, and
at the presence of these facts Azerbaijan failed to get some cogent
victories in diplomacy.

Yesterday Panarmenian.net referring to Liberty Radio informed that US
Department of Justice published report on registered lobbyist
organizations in the United States. Under the report, US Department of
Justice officially registered lobbyist organization “Representation of
Nagorno-Garabagh Republic to Washington”.

American sources note that it does not mean the official recognition
of the independence of Garabagh by the United States, as in US it is
possible to register under any name. Law regulates lobbyists’ activity
in US, as they are regarded as fourth power pursuing to influence upon
the US policy, informs Liberty Radio. What kind of steps are our
diplomats taking on this point, and in general, do they know about
registration of the above-mentioned lobbyist organization in US? In
talk with correspondent of “Zerkalo” newspaper Tahir Taghizadeh, Chief
of Department for Information Policy of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Azerbaijan, stated that “so-called office of the
Nagorno-Garabagh operates in Washington for some years”. “The
relations in this point were developing not simple. The question
concerns that till December 2004 I worked at the Embassy of Azerbaijan
to US and that’s why I am well-informed about it. In response to our
repeated protests US Department of State replied following: differing
from diplomatic representation, this organization is registered by US
Department of Justice, i.e. as lobbyist non-profit organization”,
stressed T. Taghizadeh.

I.e. according to T. Taghizadeh, US Government accentuated the fact
that this condition does not influence upon the official position of
American authorities towards recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity and recognition of independence of Nagorno-Garabagh. “The
name of this lobbyist organization has been evolved. At first, it was
called “Society for Public Relations of Nagorno-Garabagh””, then
“Nagorno-Garabagh office”, and later transformed to “Office of
Nagorno-Garabagh Republic”. But we failed to exclude the word
“Republic” from the name”, said T. Taghizadeh.

But the Armenian succeeded to register entitled “Representation of
Nagorno-Garabagh Republic”. In connection with that T. Taghizadeh said
that the Embassy of Azerbaijan will make all efforts in order to
change the name of this organization. He also emphasized that during
trips of Azerbaijan’s officials to the US, and during the US
officials’ visit to Baku, this matter has been repeatedly discussed.

So, we see that the Armenians have prevailed us once again. Why don’t
Azerbaijan’s Diaspora in US manage to set up Azerbaijani non-profit
organization and to register it there, moreover, according to
T. Taghizadeh, there are not any problems? The reason is likely in
mentality of our people. In words we are for solidarity, we compose
songs and make verses of poems about inviolability of our nation
unity, but no more. Our words do not meet our works. But the Armenians
without phrase-mongering do their deeds.

We should not be reassured that NGO is registered and it won’t
influence upon US official position towards Nagorno-Garabagh
conflict. The official Baku should be concern with the fact that NGO
under such name has been registered. This organization aiming to
lobby its interests together with “Armenian Group of US Congressmen”,
not today, but tomorrow can influence upon US state policy. It does
not rule out that if we do not raise the alarm on time, then in future
the Armenians by means of “their people” will achieve their purpose in
US Congress. But the purpose is clear: to get recognition of
independence of Nagorno-Garabagh.

April 16 is Police Day

ArmRadio.am
15.04.2006 15:06

It is 5 years already that Armenia is celebrating Police Day on April
16. On this occasion, the parade was accepted today by President
Robert Kocharyan. The President congratulated the employees of the
system and veterans.

`The Police is one of the most essential state structures, which
carries out its duty with honor,’ the President said. He noted that
the Police should be able to respond to the process of corresponding
development of the society and its possible negative expressions.

In President Kocharyan’s word it is necessary to pay special attention
to the Police, to arm it with modern armaments, improve the
professional capacity of the Staff.

`We should strengthen the primary directions. Special attention shold
be paid to the improvement of the spheres, which immediately have to
do with citizens. During the Artsakhi war the employees of the
Armenian Police demonstrated great dignity in keeping the country’s
borders secure. Today we must remember those, who fell on the field of
war. The development of our country is greatly conditioned by the
quality of your work,’ The President said in his congratulating
address.

On the occasion of the Police Day, Robert Kocharyan awarded titles and
medals to a number of Police workers.

TURKEY: POLISH MINISTER PROPOSES HISTORIANS TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLAIM

Anatolia news agency
13 Apr 06

Ankara, 13 April: Polish Foreign Minister Stefan Meller suggested
Turkish, Armenian and Polish historians to meet to discuss so-called
Armenian genocide allegations.

Turkish deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut received Meller in
Ankara on Thursday [13 April].

Yakut said: “Turkey expects support from Poland during EU membership
process.” He also said: “We felt very sorry over Polish parliament’s
decision (in April 2005) about so-called Armenian genocide. This
distressing development against Turkish nation emerged after Armenia’s
unilateral propaganda which deteriorates the realities. I believe
Poland will not allow the initiatives of marginal Armenian groups
against the relations of the two countries. I believe such groups
will not be supported by Polish parliament.”

Regarding cartoon crisis, Yakut said: “The cartoon crisis in
Denmark brought clash of civilizations onto agenda again. Those
who used freedom of expression irresponsibly depressed billions
of Muslims deeply. We believe that Poland’s exerting efforts to
end anti-Islamic winds by using its influence within EU will have
important consequences.”

Meller said that both the prime minister of Poland and himself
released the necessary statements to apologize from the Muslim
world for the cartoon crises. Referring to a decision approved by
the Polish parliament last year to recognize the events in 1915 as
genocide, Meller said that Armenian people had been living in Poland
for centuries.

Recalling that a number of Polish citizens of Armenian origin have
carried out significant duties, Meller said that they considered that
decision of the Polish parliament as a compensation for suffering
and pain stemming from 1915 events.

Noting that the decision did not have any binding impact on Poland’s
foreign policy, and it did not reflect the view of their government,
Meller said that the decision was not against Turkey.

Meller said that he proposed Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul to undertake a good-will mission and
bring together Turkish, Armenian and Polish historians.

Stressing that they did not aim to give lessons to the others, Meller
said that Poland had earlier succeeded in resolving the problems with
Germany and Ukraine through dialogue.

CANADIAN TVO-2 TO SCREEN ANDREW GOLDBERG’S “THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2006 21:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 17 and 24 Andrew Goldberg’s “The Armenian
Genocide” will be screened by Canadian TVO-2, reported the RA MFA
press office. The Turkish organizations of Canada demanded to hold
a discussion with the participation of Turkish historians but it did
not go beyond a 5-7-minute talk with reporters.

“The Armenian Genocide” will be shown April 16 and twice on and April
24 by TVO-2. April 17 and 24 the film will be screened by WNED Buffalo.